EDITORIAL - Inspirations

At the tender age of 13, Cris “Kesz” Valdez is a big winner. The scavenger whose bed space is an open tomb in Cavite is this year’s winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize – an award launched in November 2005 at the annual World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome.

Valdez, who received the prize of 100,000 euros ($130,000) from Nobel laureate South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu in The Hague, was cited for his “Championing Community Children” charity. About 10,000 impoverished children in Cavite have received assistance from the charity, through gifts that include toys, sweets and basic necessities such as clothes and flip-flops.

“My message to children around the world is not to lose hope,” Valdez said at the awarding ceremonies, according to a report from The Hague. Valdez himself found hope in the work of another young man who was born to abject poverty in Cavite and has devoted his life to empowering the destitute. Efren Peñaflorida launched the “Kariton Klasrum” – a classroom on a cart – to provide basic education to the very poor in his province. Among his students was Kesz Valdez, at the time seven years old.

Peñaflorida was honored in 2009 as “Hero of the Year” by Cable News Network. He accompanied Valdez to the Netherlands for the peace prize, which was initiated by the Amsterdam-based KidsRights Foundation. In his speech at the awarding ceremonies, Valdez cited the need for children to be aware of the importance of personal hygiene. Those who grew up in poverty are keenly aware of how badly the country needs teachers and health professionals. Peñaflorida continues his work as an educator of the very poor. Valdez, who learned to read, write and work with numbers from Peñaflorida, hopes to become a doctor.

Valdez, like Peñaflorida, deserves congratulations and support in his endeavor. Both of them should serve as inspirations not only to the impoverished who are tempted to give in to despair, but also to those with the means to make life better for the less privileged.